Method and System for Monitoring and Analyzing Peer-to-Peer Users' Activities over a Data Network

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and system for monitoring peer-to-peer traffic over a data network, comprising (a) file identifier unit ( 105 ) for searching the peer-to-peer network ( 126 ) according to search criteria, and retrieving identifiers of files that are shared over said peer-to-peer network ( 126 ); (b) an enabler ( 110 ) for receiving from said filed identifier unit said found identifiers, a for each identifier found, search said peer-to-peer network and finding the network addresses related to computers that contain in their shared storage at least a portion of the file corresponding to said identifier; and (c) a database ( 111 ) for storing for each of said identifiers of the network said enabler. The system further comprises an analyzing unit for analyzin ( 112 ) and processing data stored within the database, and creating matrixes representing data of peer-to-peer user's activities.

1 . A system for monitoring peer-to-peer traffic over a data network, comprising:
 a. a file identifier unit for searching the peer-to-peer network according to search criteria, and retrieving identifiers of files that are shared over said peer-to-peer network;   b. an enabler for receiving from said file identifier unit said found identifiers, and for each identifier found, searching said peer-to-peer network and finding the network addresses related to computers that contain in their shared storage at least a portion of the file corresponding to said identifier; and   c. a database for storing for each of said files the identifiers of the network addresses found as received from said enabler.   
   
   
       2 . System according to  claim 1 , wherein the database further stores one or more of the following:
 a. geographic locations of computers related to the network addresses found;   b. names of files being shared among peer-to-peer users;   c. identifiers of files being shared among peer-to-peer users;   d. nicknames of peer-to-peer users;   e. timestamps; and   f. unique identifiers of peer-to-peer users.   
   
   
       3 . System according to  claim 2 , further comprising an analyzing unit for analyzing and processing data stored within the database. 
   
   
       4 . System according to  claim 3 , wherein the analyzing unit further creates one or more matrixes representing data of peer-to-peer users' activities. 
   
   
       5 . System according to  claim 4 , wherein each matrix has two or more dimensions. 
   
   
       6 . System according to  claim 5 , wherein each matrix dimension represents one or more data contents or one or more types of data contents. 
   
   
       7 . System according to  claim 6 , wherein for each two or more data contents presented in a row(s) and in a corresponding column(s) of the matrix, the percentage or number of peer-to-peer users, whose activities relate to said two or more data contents, is determined. 
   
   
       8 . System according to  claim 1 , further comprising a geographic locations detection software component connected to the database for analyzing each network address found, and determining the geographic locations of the computers each of which relate to the corresponding network address. 
   
   
       9 . System according to  claim 8 , wherein the geographic locations detection software component is further provided within the Enabler. 
   
   
       10 . System according to  claim 8 , wherein the geographic locations detection software component is further provided within a server that comprises the database. 
   
   
       11 . System according to  claim 1 , wherein the enabler further finds at the peer-to-peer network only network addresses related to computers that are connected to one or more served Internet Services Providers servers. 
   
   
       12 . System according to  claim 1 , wherein each network address further comprises a port number. 
   
   
       13 . System according to  claim 1 , wherein the network address is the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol address or User Datagram Protocol address. 
   
   
       14 . System according to  claim 1 , wherein the file identifier unit is updated regularly. 
   
   
       15 . System according to  claim 1 , wherein the file identifier unit is updated automatically by using an external data source. 
   
   
       16 . System according to  claim 1 , wherein the files identifiers are stored in different formats within the file identifier unit, according to the corresponding peer-to-peer networks in which these files are shared. 
   
   
       17 . System according to  claim 1 , wherein the enabler is implemented by software, or by hardware, or by a combination thereof. 
   
   
       18 . System according to  claim 1 , wherein the file identifier unit further comprises:
 a. a peer-to-peer networks search server for searching the peer-to-peer network according to search criteria provided by an operator, and retrieving identifiers of files that are shared among peer-to-peer users over said peer-to-peer network; and   b. one or more databases for storing one or more lists of the files identifiers for each peer-to-peer network.   
   
   
       19 . System according to  claim 18 , wherein the file identifier unit further comprises a Web server for retrieving the stored one or more files identifiers from said one or more databases and transferring them to the enabler. 
   
   
       20 . System according to  claim 1 , wherein the enabler further comprises a FIU communicator software component for periodically communicating with the file identifier unit in order to receive the updated list of the files identifiers. 
   
   
       21 . System according to  claim 20 , wherein the enabler further comprises a task manager software component for creating search tasks, according to data provided by the FIU communicator, said task manager maintaining a list of search tasks and creating one or more virtual clients for serving each search task. 
   
   
       22 . System according to  claim 21 , wherein the enabler further comprises a search task(s) software component for holding data related to each search task, said data related to one or more virtual clients created for said each search task, a corresponding file identifier and a protocol of the peer-to-peer network, wherein the corresponding search(es) is conducted. 
   
   
       23 . System according to  claim 1 , wherein the enabler further comprises a state machine(s) software component for representing a behavior of a client in each peer-to-peer network. 
   
   
       24 . System according to  claim 23 , wherein the enabler further comprises a virtual client(s) software component for holding data related to a corresponding state machine and to the corresponding state of said state machine. 
   
   
       25 . System according to  claim 1 , wherein the enabler further comprises a protocols configurations software component for holding necessary configuration parameters for each peer-to-peer network. 
   
   
       26 . System according to  claim 1 , wherein the enabler further comprises a configuration repository for holding the overall configuration of said enabler. 
   
   
       27 . System according to  claim 1 , wherein the enabler further comprises a networking layer for providing network communication services. 
   
   
       28 . System according to  claim 1 , wherein the enabler, after retrieving the network addresses related to computers that share at least a portion of the one or more files whose identifiers were retrieved by the file identifier unit, determines a list of all files that are shared by said computers or a list of identifiers of said all files. 
   
   
       29 . System according to  claim 28 , wherein the enabler further searches the peer-to-peer network and finds network addresses related to computers that share at least a portion of one or more files within the list. 
   
   
       30 . A method for monitoring peer-to-peer traffic over a data network, comprising:
 a. searching the peer-to-peer network, according to search criteria, by means of a file identifier unit, and retrieving identifiers of files that are shared over said peer-to-peer network;   b. receiving said one or more files identifiers from said file identifier unit by means of an enabler;   c. for each identifier found, searching said peer-to-peer network and finding by means of said enabler the network addresses related to computers that contain in their shared storage at least a portion of the file corresponding to said identifier; and   d. for each of said files, storing in a database the identifiers of the network addresses found.   
   
   
       31 . Method according to  claim 30 , further comprising storing within the database one or more of the following:
 a. geographic locations of computers related to the network addresses found;   b. names of files being shared among peer-to-peer users;   c. identifiers of files being shared among peer-to-peer users;   d. nicknames of peer-to-peer users;   e. timestamps; and   f. unique identifiers of peer-to-peer users.   
   
   
       32 . Method according to  claim 31 , further comprising analyzing and processing data stored within the database by means of an analyzing unit. 
   
   
       33 . Method according to  claim 32 , further comprising creating one or more matrixes by means of the analyzing unit, said matrixes representing data of peer-to-peer users' activities. 
   
   
       34 . Method according to  claim 33 , further comprising creating matrixes of two or more dimensions each. 
   
   
       35 . Method according to  claim 34 , further comprising representing by means of each matrix dimension one or more data contents or one or more types of data contents. 
   
   
       36 . Method according to  claim 35 , further comprising determining for each two or more data contents presented in a row(s) and in a corresponding column(s) of the matrix, the percentage or number of peer-to-peer users, whose activities relate to said two or more data contents. 
   
   
       37 . Method according to  claim 30 , further comprising analyzing each network address found by means of a geographic locations detection software component connected to the database, and determining by said software component the geographic locations of the computers, each of which relate to the corresponding network address. 
   
   
       38 . Method according to  claim 37 , further comprising providing the geographic locations detection software component within the Enabler. 
   
   
       39 . Method according to  claim 37 , further comprising providing the geographic locations detection software component within a server that comprises the database. 
   
   
       40 . Method according to  claim 30 , further comprising finding by means of the enabler only network addresses related to computers that are connected to one or more served Internet Services Providers servers. 
   
   
       41 . Method according to  claim 30 , further comprising providing within each network address a corresponding port number. 
   
   
       42 . Method according to  claim 30 , further comprising updating the file identifier unit regularly. 
   
   
       43 . Method according to  claim 30 , further comprising automatically updating the file identifier unit by using an external data source. 
   
   
       44 . Method according to  claim 30 , further comprising storing the files identifiers in different formats within the file identifier unit, according to the corresponding peer-to-peer networks in which these files are shared. 
   
   
       45 . Method according to  claim 30 , further comprising implementing the enabler by software, or by hardware, or by a combination thereof. 
   
   
       46 . Method according to  claim 30 , further comprising providing within the file identifier unit:
 a. a peer-to-peer networks search server for searching the peer-to-peer network according to search criteria provided by an operator, and retrieving identifiers of files that are shared among peer-to-peer users over said peer-to-peer network; and   b. one or more databases for storing one or more lists of the files identifiers for each peer-to-peer network.   
   
   
       47 . Method according to  claim 46 , further comprising providing within the file identifier unit a Web server for retrieving the stored one or more files identifiers from said one or more databases and transferring them to the enabler. 
   
   
       48 . Method according to  claim 30 , further comprising providing within the enabler a FIU communicator software component for periodically communicating with the file identifier unit in order to receive the updated list of the files identifiers. 
   
   
       49 . Method according to  claim 48 , further comprising providing within the enabler a task manager software component for creating search tasks, according to data provided by the FIU communicator, said task manager maintaining a list of search tasks and creating one or more virtual clients for serving each search task. 
   
   
       50 . Method according to  claim 49 , further comprising providing within the enabler a search task(s) software component for holding data related to each search task, said data related to one or more virtual clients created for said each search task, a corresponding file identifier and a protocol of the peer-to-peer network, wherein the corresponding search(es) is conducted. 
   
   
       51 . Method according to  claim 30 , further comprising providing within the enabler a state machine(s) software component for representing a behavior of a client in each peer-to-peer network. 
   
   
       52 . Method according to  claim 51 , further comprising providing within the enabler a virtual client(s) software component for holding data related to a corresponding state machine and to the corresponding state of said state machine. 
   
   
       53 . Method according to  claim 30 , further comprising providing within the enabler a protocols configurations software component for holding necessary configuration parameters for each peer-to-peer network. 
   
   
       54 . Method according to  claim 30 , further comprising providing within the enabler a configuration repository for holding the overall configuration of said enabler. 
   
   
       55 . Method according to  claim 30 , further comprising providing within the enabler a networking layer for providing network communication services. 
   
   
       56 . Method according to  claim 30 , further comprising determining by means of the enabler, after retrieving the network addresses related to computers that share at least a portion of the one or more files whose identifiers were retrieved by the file identifier unit, a list of all files that are shared by said computers or a list of identifiers of said all files. 
   
   
       57 . Method according to  claim 56 , further comprising searching the peer-to-peer network by means of the enabler and finding network addresses related to computers that share at least a portion of one or more files within the list.